TLN’s Finals Chat: Game 1 — Lakers vs. Celtics

The match-up that the Lakers Nation has waited for two years; a NBA Finals’ re-match with the hated Boston Celtics. These two Franchises have a rich history and are the league’s most storied franchises. This is the series that everyone wanted to see. The Los Angeles Lakers will face the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals for the 12th time. Cue the Mills Lane’s famous saying, “Let’s get it on!”.

There have been several reports that have stated that this series will be identical to the 2008 NBA Finals. Anyone who believes that needs to check themselves. These are two different teams and believe me when I tell you that this series will come down to who wants it more. The Celtics were the tougher and better rebounding team. The roles have been reversed in 2010 and your Los Angeles Lakers are the team that is both physically and mentally tougher.

P.J. Brown, James Posey, Sam Cassell, and Leon Powe are no longer Celtics. Vladimir Radmanovic and Ronny Turiaf are no longer wearing a Purple and Gold jersey.

The Lakers are ready to match the intensity of the Celtics and do what it takes to win the title. Kobe Bryant is unstoppable and literally on a mission to be the best. He simply will not be denied. The Celtics, rightfully so, receive a lot of credit for their defense, but their offensive playbook is extensive.

The Lakers and Celtics split their two games in the regular season with both teams winning on the road. However, there’s a huge difference between the regular season and the post-season.

The key to the Lakers winning this game and the series is their defense. The Celtics run a pick and roll play very similar to the one the Phoenix Suns had some success against the Lakers utilizing Jason Richardson. Richardson curled around the screen and attacked the basket. The Celtics will use Ray Allen who will use the screen to get off a jump shot. The Lakers have to communicate and play sound screen and roll defense.

The Celtics will post-up Kevin Garnett on the left block, but he can knockdown his turnaround jumper from either block. Pau Gasol will have to be able to play him straight up, keep his body between Garnett and the basket as well as force him to shoot contested jump shots. Paul Pierce is the go to guy for Boston and the team likes to swing the ball from one side of the court to the other and get Pierce the ball of the wing to attack the basket or shoot an open jump shot.

Back in 2008, Paul Pierce put up huge numbers being defended by Luke Walton and Vladimir Radmanovic. Things will be different and much more difficult because in this NBA Finals he will have Ron Artest in his face. Ron Artest was brought to the Lakers squad to lock up alpha dog players and it is one of the reasons the Lakers returned to the Finals. He draws the assignment of slowing down Pierce.

The Lakers will have to stop the dribble penetration of Rajon Rondo. He in one of the best point guards in the league and if his play hadn’t improved, the Lakers would be facing another opponent tonight. The Lakers have already faced a group of the league’s best point guards, in Russell Westbrook, Derron Williams and Steve Nash. The Lakers have devised a game plan to beat them and they will do the same for Rondo. Don’t be surprised to see Kobe Bryant defend Rondo and Derek Fisher chasing Ray Allen.

The Lakers front-line of Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Ron Artest have to be aggressive, use their size advantage, and attack the basket. This group, to include Lamar Odom, needs to score 50 points per game. The Lakers will continue to see a zone from the Celtics and will have to use dribble penetration and excellent ball movement as well as excellent player movement to beat it.

The Lakers are a rhythm team that is playing in a good rhythm. The Celtics will attempt to be physical with the Lakers again, but the Lakers won’t hit first, be pushed around or back down either. The entire team needs to step their game up and get involved. It is about tough defense, rebounding and execution. I’m expecting to see passion on every possession from the Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers will be ready tonight, will you?

Tupac under the alias Makaveli said it best with his verse, “I ain’t a killer, but don’t push me revenge is the sweetest joy next to getting p_ _ _ y”.

Maybe less if the Lakers get in their heads. Rasheed is like Vince Carter…HUGELY OVERRATED as was evident through this entire season.

TOUCHING_MYSELF

Hey Celd!cks, thanks for participating. So, tell me, how does it feel to be like Snapple? You know, #2 to the Colas! That’s right, the Lakers are the Colas, and you guys are Snapple. Just like Snapple’s slogan says, “WE’RE NUMBER 2, WE’RE NUMBER 2″. You guys will be chanting that all throughout the summer and well into next year until the playoffs, then you’ll just disappear into obscurity!

And who knew that Big Baby actually starred in a Snapples commercial during his off season.

LakerMarc

His fat ass is probably their #1 customer……LOL are you shitting me? How many carbs per serving………Bad Big Baby.

No censorship in America….Touching_Myself…say with me ….CELDICKS!!!!!!!

NO NO NO word on da street is the bookies have this game tilting the Celtics way tonight. Lakers are favored by 5 and the same refs who rigged the 2008 finals will be on the stage tonight. DANG IT Kobe has to have the game of his life tonight.

Well we have waited 2 years for revenge, I hope we get it. And I hope Bynum will be well because we will need him real bad. Man this is gonna be intense.

LakerMarc

I predict Perkins gets his 7th tech and gets suspended in game 3 (boston) and ‘Sheed gets his 6th and 7th next 2 games and gets suspended in game 4 (boston).

Touch ME

I hope your right

justdogm1

if it wasn`t for GARNETT getting hurt last year, the celtics would be going for the THREEPEAT….LETS hope the lakers bought some heart………..

LakersAllDay89

Come on that’s just disrespectful.. I could come at you like “If Bynum and Ariza played in 08″ but this is 2010 man. Let’s enjoy the Finals THIS YEAR. Both of the teams are successful – there is no reason to start the what if talk. Besides the Lakers are the defending Champions – Boston had only one player hurt last year and where were you? Oh yea at home watching.

bernzter

OIC, Celtics for a three peat… when clearly they did not play their best during the season (last year) and lost to the Lakers twice during the year… As for this kind of comment, it’s for a person who doesn’t know what he is talking about and dwells on no where else but on the but if’s… C’mon both teams deserve to be here this year and the Lakers REALLY deserved to win it all last year…
Oh and if you are a hater, sorry, LA wins game one…

YOUR WARLOCK

Better yet, if it wasn`t for BYNUM getting hurt, the year before last year, the Lakers would be going for the THREEPEAT….LETS hope the Celtics bought some heart………..

MagicJ32

Garnett could have been a Laker if Kevin McHale would have accepted the trade with Bynum and Odom going to Minnisota for him, but he insisted on taking the whole entire front line of Boston instead!

242LakerFan

And how’s that working out? McHale’s on cable and Minnesota’s still in the NBA’s outhouse.

kobebyrantfinalmvp

lakers is playing with a passion and zoneing out the hater in the media and hater to win there 16 champion go lakers who soft now bitch

LakerMarc

Their 16th Champion-ship!!!!!

242LakerFan

The Lakers do not zone out the haters, especially Kobe. I take every opportunity to thank my Hater friends, because that hate is used as fuel and they’re about to fuel us to Chip #16!

LakerLand Nostradamus

Touch ME,

Where are you F-A-G?
LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pau gasoline

All those Lakers fans talking about Gasols Defense are lost for words now. He is the glue to this team and is showing everyone that he is the reason we are in the finals and have a 1-0 lead.

YOUR WARLOCK

No, it’s not about Lakers fans… Lakers fans like myself, reiterate how we want him to bring a tougher defense to his game-on a standard basis… It’s the rest of the league’s fan base who are, at least for the time being-lost for words… And, make no mistake about it: Pau is not ‘THE’ reason The Lakers are in The Finals, but a component of it.

Touch ME

Im here, I wanted everyone to take the Celtics and the points so the gamblers help LA win, no one thought LA would beatem this easily. Now the scenerio is LA is too good, Boston played bad by givin up 100, were out hustled etc. Now everyone will take LA game 2 and Boston will win. I hope im wrong.

I was hoping you wouldn’t show up tonight. I think your laughin too much. My inside info and expertise will make the crystal ball go dark.

LakerLand Nostradamus

Sorry to say but your crystal ball never sees anything other than your stupid hatred towards the Lakers. Faker! LMAO!!!!!!!!

Touch ME

It ain’t hate it’s tough love.

LakerLand Nostradamus

So sad you have to lie to yourself to make you feel better.
We all know you are a Laker hater.
I just love it, because my prediction is just getting closer and closer to materialize again and you will hate it so much when that happens.
LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pau Gasoline … I have to disagree, unfortunately some players have to be pushed and almost talked trash into reacting rather than ACTING on their own. Pau has been that way a great part of the season (the regular season). I thought Pau was very ineffective against Phoenix while brilliant in round 1 &2. Go figure, I am however extremely happy to see him play that way, HE CAN DO THAT EVERY NIGHT. He was the most consistent of ALL Lakers all season long.

highflyer

i think some of ray allens fouls werent really fouled… dnt get me wrong im a laker fan but if we end up winning ppl r gonna say we wom by refs.. but no one remembers 08 n how it was lopsided… i want to win with correct fouls

KindSir

They can’t say that anyways, they still shot more FT than us, and only had two more fouls called against them.

oca_rold

too many fouls called on both sides. seem like the refs are calling every contact there is, like how artest can’t body on pierce too much.

then again we won game 1, looking forward to game 2.

242LakerFan

People are going to say that anyway. They’re called Laker Haters and it doesn’t have to be true, just sound good for them to say it.

Good work. Garnett Rondo and Allen struggled. Look for them to bounce back in game 2. Brown and Farmar picked up their game but Lamar needs to step up.

GO LAKERS!

Touch ME

Lets put this scenerio LA lose game 2 and series is tied 1-1 and Boston win 2 out 3 at home and it will make Boston up 3-2. Don’t treat this game as if we won the championship. Look at what the Celtics did to the Cavs and Magic.

TOUCHING_MYSELF

Let’s put this scenerio in… Lakers wins game 2, 3, & 4 and you STFU! Stupid! That’s a stupid thing to say. Of course no one “knows” the outcome and the two teams will just have to play it out!

Us, real Laker fans, are excited about our win and how we’ve PUNKED the Celd!cks at their own game! We set the tone for how we’ve gotta play the series and took game 1 on our own home floor! We never gave up our lead and they only led once because they scored first. After, it was pretty much all Lakers!

Yeah, and we all saw what happened to the Cavs. And if you’re comparing the Lakers to the Cavs then you’re even dumber than we all thought you were! Cavs were an excellent regular season team, but the Lakers were only interested in the PLAYOFFS.

The Cavs have LeNoShow while we have the real KING and BEST PLAYER IN THE NBA, Kobe Bryant. They have Uncle Fester, in Z, and a fat broke down pickup truck in SNAQ, while we have Bynum and Gasol! We’ve got lock down Defensive player in Ron Ron and they have… um, wait… oh, I know, NO ONE! They’ve got Mike Brown… really, do I even need to mention who our coach is?

‘Touch Me’, yeah, someone sound touch you… touch you with some common sense or a baseball bat. I think that the latter is a more worthy effort! I can’t see a miracle happening with the former… not enough common sense in this world to help you see things clearly.

LakerLand Nostradamus, got anything to add? Look into that crystal ball and give this (_o_) a scenario to look at!

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With the Lakers off to a poor start, trade rumors have begun to swirl around Kobe Bryant, leading many to speculate if he'll leave for greener pastures. Kobe puts those rumors to rest in his interview with Yahoo Sports.